Sorting device for cylindrical vessels

ABSTRACT

A sorting device for cylindrical vessels having a length greater than the diameter, such as bottle caps or the like, including a container for actuating disordered vessels in which the vessels are picked up in the container by a conveyor paddle wheel rotating about an inclined axis and having internal axial parallel conveyor pockets in which the vessels are aligned axially parallel with an opening through which they fall into individual channels of an aligned magazine drum rotating coaxially and synchronously with the conveyor paddle wheel, with central retaining rods projecting approximately to the longitudinal center of the channels in position to engage the vessel bottoms with the rods mounted for relative movement axially of the channels responsive to operative engagement with a stationary cam, with those vessels having apertures facing away from the rod and those with the apertures facing the rod being removed from the magazine drum along separate conveyor routes.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Ulrich Dcutschbein gs g gg Germany Primary Examiner-Richard A. Schacher A!!0rneyMcDougall, Hersh & Scott [21] Appl. No. [22] Filed July 9, 1970 [45] Patented Jan. 11, 1972 [73] Assignee Vereinigte Kapselfabriken Nackenheim GmbH ABSTRACT: A sorting device for cylindrical vessels having a length greater than the diameter, such as bottle caps or the Nacknhelm/Rhem, Germany like, including a container for actuating disordered vessels in 1 Pnomy J ly 29, 1969 which the vessels are picked up in the container by a conveyor Germany paddle wheel rotating about an inclined axis and having inter- P 19 38 474-8 nal axial parallel conveyor pockets in which the vessels are aligned axially parallel with an opening through which they SORTING DEvlCE FOR CYLINDRCAL VESSELS fall into individual channels of an aligned magazine drum rotating coaxrally and synchronously with the conveyor pad- 14 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

dle wheel, with central retaining rods projecting approximate ly to the longitudinal center of the channels in position to engage the vessel bottoms with the rods mounted for relative movement axially of the channels responsive to operative engagement with a stationary cam, with those vessels having apertures facing away from the rod and those with the aper- 1. A62A6 WA 43 0 32 8 5 M w 7 .1 u u .1 m NW u ""3 u M n u u m mh "c H M m me u S L m d 5 nd U MF .1 ll. 2 0 5 55 .l [.l.

tures facing the rod being removed from the magazine drum along separate conveyor routes.

FATENTEUJAMHSYZ 3.633 730 SHEET 1 [IF 2 PATENTED JAN? 1 1972 SHEET 2 BF 2 SORTING DEVICE FOR CYLINDRICAL VESSELS The invention relates to a sorting device for cylindrical vessels, whose length is greater than their diameter, such as bottle caps or the like, said device having a container for accommodating the disordered vessels.

In the automatic manufacture or processing of cylindrical vessels, such as bottle caps of the like, it is important that the vessels, which are supplied disordered, be forwarded to the next working station arranged in order, i.e., positioned axially parallel to one another and with the vessel bottoms aligned to one end, as otherwise it is not only possible for the cylindrical vessel to be ruined and the operating sequence interrupted, but also for the machine effecting the subsequent treatment to be damaged.

A known sorting device suited for this purpose has a container for accommodating the disordered vessels, which is in the form of a vibrator pot." The upright cylindrical container possesses on its inner wall a helical runup channel. The container is resiliently supported and is so agitated by an oscillating drive that the torsional vibrations occurring about the container axis cause the vessels on the runup channels to advance upwards. In the runup channels there are provided recesses so that any vessels which are not aligned in the correct manner, fall back again into the container. In this way only vessels aligned in one direction arrive at the delivery point of the sorting device. These vibrator pots have the disadvantages that their capacity, i.e., the number of items which can be sorted per unit of time, is restricted, that the amount of space taken up is very large and that operation is very noisy.

It is the object of the invention to produce a sorting device which does not have the disadvantages of the known device. This is achieved according to the invention in that the vessels are picked up in the container by a conveyor paddle wheel rotating about an inclined axis and having internal, axially parallel conveyor pockets, and are then aligned axially parallel and on opening of an aperture they fall into individual channels, in alignment with the conveyor pockets, of a magazine drum rotating coaxially and synchronously with the conveyor paddle wheel, in which channels there are arranged central retaining rods primarily projecting approximately as far as the longitudinal center of the channels, which rods support the vessels at the vessel bottom and on further rotation of the magazine they are retracted by means of a stationary cam, those vessels whose apertures are facing away from the retaining rods and those whose apertures are facing the retaining rods leaving the magazine drum by separate conveying routes.

By means of the conveyor paddle wheel many cylindrical vessels can be removed from the container in quick succession and fed to the channels of the magazine drum, there thus being achieved with this sorting device a high capacity (number of items per unit of time). Whereas in the known device only those vessels are forwarded which from the outset have arrived by chance in the correct position of alignment on the conveyor channel, all the vessels picked up by the conveyor paddle wheel are forwarded with the device in accordance with the invention; the retractable retaining rods arranged in the channels of the magazine drum carry out a sorting of the vessels into two groups, i.e., those vessels whose aperture is turned away from the retaining rods, and those whose aperture is facing the retaining rods. Within each group the vessels are arranged with their apertures aligned, so that they can leave the magazine drum by separate conveying routes, within each individual conveying route they are uniformly aligned however. The sorting into two groups of differently aligned vessels is therefore possible, because those vessels whose aperture is facing the retaining rod, pass with their aperture over the retaining rods until the tip of the retaining rod touches the bottom of the vessel; on the other hand those vessels whose aperture is remote from the retaining rods, can only fall into the channels of the magazine drum until the vessel bottom meets the tip of the retaining rod. The two groups of vessels are therefore situated according to their position of alignment in axially juxtaposed zones of the magazine drum, so that removal by separate conveying routes is easily possible.

According to a further development of the inventive idea there is arranged in each case at the lower axial end of each conveyor pocket an aperture, which is opened on rotation of the paddle wheel by a stationary sickle-shaped bar, in order to let the vessels drop out. Consequently a vessel picked up by the conveyor paddle wheel in its lower region is elevated up to a given height, which is determined by the end of the sickleshaped bar, before the vessel can drop into the corresponding channel of the magazine drum. By this it is ensured that the vessel cannot fall out of the conveyor picket into the channel of the magazine drum at such an early stage that yet another vessel can arrive in the same conveyor pocket during the same revolution of the conveyor paddle wheel and fall into the same channel of the magazine drum. Advantageously the paddle wheel is connected firmly to the magazine drum and can rotate with this. This arrangement permits a particularly simple and inexpensive construction of the magazine drum and paddle wheel.

According to a further inventive development the retaining rods are guided so as to slide axially in a ring connected with the magazine drum and they engage with a guide component projecting towards the axis of rotation in a control groove of a stationary cylinder cam. Consequently it is possible to achieve an axial displacement of the retaining rods in the conveyor channels, dependent on the angle of rotation of the magazine drum. Advantageously on retraction of the retaining rods the bottoms of the vessels with their apertures remote from the retaining rods are supported and guided by a stationary sickleshaped bar. By the support of the vessel bottoms at approximately the same instant, at which the retraction of the retaining rods begins, it is achieved that the two groups of differently aligned vessels arranged axially side-by-side on the periphery of the magazine drum, are moved by the stationary sickleshaped bar, but separated from one another, up to the position where they are removed from the magazine drum for further convenience. Advantageously the vessels pass from the channels of the magazine drum into compartments or chutes which prevent canting of the cylindrical vessels and which serve as stowage space. It is thus possible to forward the vessels in the aligned position even to a farther removed subsequent treatment station. These compartments can at the same time serve as stowage space in order to compensate to a certain extent for varying fluctuations in throughput of the sorting device and of the subsequent treatment machine. According to a further development of the inventive idea the two chutes are so twisted in relation to one another at their outlet that the vessel bottoms are aligned at the end of the chutes in a uniform direction. The fact must therefore be taken into consideration that the vessels are variably aligned in the two separate conveying routes.

It has proved advantageous in accordance with the invention to scan the stowage space of the chutes by means of a light barrier and when the stowage space is filled to switch off the sorting device. In this way the stowage space of the chutes acts as an intermediate buffer, in which in the case of widely varying throughput between the sorting device and the subsequent treatment machine the sorting device is switched off until such a time as the subsequent treatment machine has processed the larger part of the accumulated vessels.

According to a further development of the inventive idea the inclined position of the axis of rotation of the sorting device is adjustable, in order to alter the sliding speed of the vessels in the channels. In this way by varying the inclination of the whole sorting device it is possible to influence favorably the operating sequence.

Further features, advantages and uses of the invention appear in the following description of examples of embodiment in connection with the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a simplified view in perspective of a sorting device according to the invention, in which individual parts of the outer wall and of the paddle wheel are broken away,

FIG. 2 shows a simplified side view of a delivery compartment or chute as used in the device according to FIG. 1, and

FIG. 3 shows partly in section a further form of embodiment of a sorting device according to the invention.

The sorting device represented in FIG. 1 comprises an obliquely arranged container 1 with adjustable inclination and open at the top, into which the vessels 2 are fed in disorder. In the container 1 there rotates a disc 3 forming the bottom surface of the container and a conveyor paddle wheel 4 connected to it. In the disc 3 apertures 6 are provided which are associated in each case with a pocket of the conveyor paddle wheel, the diameter of which apertures is so great that a cylindrical vessel 2, which is situated in a conveyor pocket 5, can pass through the aperture 6.

A magazine drum 7 rotating in synchronism with the disc 3 and with the conveyor paddle wheel 4 is arranged coaxially to the conveyor paddle wheel below this disc 3, which drum has channels 8. The channels 8 are situated in each case in extension of a conveyor pocket 5 and serve to accommodate the cylindrical vessels 2 falling through the apertures 6, which in the example of embodiment represented are bottle caps. Central retaining rods 9 project from the side remote from the conveyor paddle wheel 4 into the channels 8, which rods primarily reach up to the longitudinal center of the channels 8. The retaining rods 9 are arranged to slide axially in a ring 10, which is connected to the magazine drum 7 and rotates with the latter. The rotation is effected by means of a drive motor (not shown) via a drive shaft 11 in the direction of rotation represented by the arrow 12. The lower ends of the retaining rods 9 are bent round towards the axis of rotation of the sorting device and form in each case a guide portion which engages in a control groove 13 of a stationary cylinder cam 14.

On the side of the disc 3 remote from the conveyor paddle wheel 4 there is stationarily arranged in the lower region a sickle-shaped bar 15, which uncovers the apertures 6 in the disc 3 in the lower region of the disc 3.

Another stationary sickle-shaped bar 16 is arranged axially on the periphery of the magazine drum 7 approximately in its longitudinal center. From a point (not shown) situated behind the sorting device in FIG. 1 two separate chutes or compartments l7 and 18 lead away from the periphery of the magazine drum 7. Such a chute is represented simplified in a side view in FIG. 2. The inner walls of the chute 17 extend in such a way that the cylindrical vessel 2, which is a bottle cap in the example, follows a zigzag path through the chute, its aligned position being retained however, i.e., the axis of the cap is only moved parallel, but not tilted. On one side of the chute 17 there is arranged a light source 19, from which light reaches through apertures 20 in the walls of the chute 17 a light-sensitive apparatus 21, for example a photoelectric cell. The photoelectric cell 21 is connected to a switch circuit (not shown), which cuts off the drive motor of the sorting device if the vessels rise in the chute 17 to the level of the light barrier 19, 21.

The mode of operation of the sorting device according to FIGS. 1 and 2 can be described as follows. The cylindrical vessels to be sorted are placed in the container 1 in disorder. The conveyor paddle wheel 4 rotating with the disc 3, the magazine drum 7 and the ring 10, picks up with each of its pockets 5 a vessel 2, it not being important if occasionally individual conveyor pockets 5 remain empty. The vessels 2 project into the aperture 6 and slide along the stationary sickleshaped bar up to its end.

After the aperture 6'has been uncovered by the bar 16 the vessel, present in the conveyor pocket 5 and aligned axially parallel to the axis of rotation of the sorting device, falls through the aperture 6 into a channel 8 of the magazine drum 7. If the particular vessel 2 is with its aperture facing the retaining rod 9, then it drops with its aperture over the retaining rod 9 until the tip of the retaining rod 9 meets the bottom of the vessel 2. If a vessel 2 falls into the channel 8 with its aperture remote from the retaining rod 9 however, then it comes into contact with the tip of the retaining rod 9 with the outer surface of its bottom and therefore it comes to lie entirely above the retaining rod. With further rotation of the magazine drum 7 the stationary sickle-shaped bar 16 meets the bottoms of the vessels 2 in such a way that it separates those vessels 2 whose apertures are pointing away from the retaining rods 9 and those whose apertures are facing the retaining rods 9. At the same time in this rotary position of the sorting device there begins the retraction movement of the retaining rods 9 by means of the cam 13.

The vessels 2 are now situated on each side of the sickleshaped bar 16 arranged so that their bottoms in each case point towards the bar 16. The vessels 2 then pass into two separate chutes 17 and 18 through an aperture in the wall surrounding the channels 8 of the magazine drum 7, in which chutes they retain their particular aligned position and arrive at a further processing machine under the influence of gravity. In the example illustrated bottle caps are being sorted; the machine arranged at the outlet side is therefore for example a capping machine.

The stationary parts of the sorting device, such as the container l, the sickle-shaped bars 15, 16 and the cylinder cam 14 are fastened to a carrier 22 which is pivotably and lockably connected, by means of a screw connection 23, to the base support 24 of the device.

0n the outer periphery of the cylinder cam 14 the guide groove 13 extends in such a way that the retaining rods 9 are again pushed forward up to the longitudinal center of the channel 8, as soon as the vessels 2 have been moved away out of the channels 8. In this position the retaining rods reach the rotational position of the sorting device, in which the apertures 6 are uncovered by the bar 15 and vessels again fall into the channels 8. Therefore the described cycle is repeated again.

In FIG. 3 there is represented another embodiment of the sorting device according to the invention. Components which have the same function as in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, are provided with the same reference numerals. The drive of the rotating parts of the device is effected by a drive motor 30 which is fixed to the base support 24 of the device. Via an infinitely variable V-belt drive 31 there is driven an intermediate shaft 33 supported in a movable bearing block 32. The drive of the conveyor paddle wheel 4 is effected via a universal-joint shaft 34. The disc 3, which forms the bottom of the container 1, and also the ring 10 rotate together with the conveyor paddle wheel 4. The retaining rods 9 are bent to form a U-shape in the example of embodiment represented in FIG. 3, the shank of the U lying near the axis of rotation of the device being the longer one and being guided in the ring 10 and also the disc 3. The shorter shank of the retaining rod 9 serves to accommodate and hold the vessels 2 in the channels 8 of the magazine drum 7.

The stationary sickle-shaped bar 16 is formed, as is also the bar 15 (not shown), by an inwardly projecting part ofthe outer casing of the device, which is connected to the container Guide heads 35 are attached to the longer shanks of the retaining heads 9, which heads engage in a slot 36 on the cylinder cam 14 serving as a guide groove.

The tilting of the sorting device is effected by means of a stop screw 37. The speed of rotation of the sorting device can be varied by means of the transmission system 31 for instance within a range of 5 to 25 r.p.m.; a speed of rotation of 12 to 15 r.p.m. has proved advantageous.

By altering the inclination of the sorting device it is also possible to achieve an adaptation to different vessel lengths, since longer vessels have different behavior during the sorting process from shorter vessels.

The use of the sorting device for bottle caps indicated in the example of embodiment is only to be taken as an explanatory example. The device can be generally used with advantage anywhere where cylindrical vessels, whose height is greater than their diameter, have to be sorted; the device according to the invention is especially useful with light vessels susceptible to damage and deformation. It is precisely with such types of usage that it has proved particularly advantageous that the device according to the invention sorts the vessels very carefully.

I claim:

1. A sorting device for cylindrical vessels having a length greater than their diameter comprising a container which accommodates a multiplicity of such vessels in disorder, a conveyor paddle wheel mounted for rotational movement about and others facing away from the inclined axis in said container and having internal axial parallel conveyor pockets with openings at the bottom dimensioned to be greater than the diameter of the vessel to enable the aligned vessel to pass therethrough, a magazine drum mounted for synchronous rotational movement with the conveyor paddle wheel and in axial alignment with the underside thereof and having magazines in axial alignment with the openings for receiving vessels passing therethrough, a retaining rod extending upwardly into each magazine into position to be engaged by the bottom wall of the vessel entering the magazine with some vessels facing the rods and others facing away from the rods, stationary cam means operatively engaged by said rods for displacement of the rods vertically relative the magazines, and means for removing the vessels facing the rods and the vessels facing away from the rods along separate paths.

2. A sorting device as claimed in claim 1 which includes a stationary bar positioned to underlie the openings in the conveyor paddle wheel to block a portion of said openings thereby sequentially to release the openings for passage of vessels therethrough from the pocket to the aligned magazine during rotational movement of the conveyor paddle wheel and drum.

3. A sorting device as claimed in claim 2 in which the stationary bar is a sickle-shaped bar.

4. A sorting device as claimed in claim 1 in which the conveyor paddle wheel and magazine drum are fixed for rotational movement together.

5. A sorting device as claimed in claim 1 which includes guide means in operative engagement with the retaining rods for guiding said rods during vertical movement relative the magazine drum.

6. A sorting device as claimed in claim 5 in which the stationary cam is formed with a central groove in the upper cam surface dimensioned to receive the guide means for the retaining rods in operative engagement.

7. A sorting device as claimed in claim 1 which includes a stationary bay in position to be engaged by the bottom of the vessels having the apertures away from the retaining rods before the retaining rods are displaced towards lowered position.

8. A sorting device as claimed in claim 7 in which the stationary bar is a sickle-shaped bar.

9. A sorting device as claimed in claim 1 which includes separate chutes in communication with the removal means for receiving the vessels removed from the magazines during rotational movement thereof.

10. A sorting device as claimed in claim 9 in which the chutes include means to prevent canting of the vessels during passage therethrough.

11. A sorting device as claimed in claim 10 in which the chutes are twisted in relation to one another so that the vessel bottoms are aligned in the same direction at the end of the chutes.

12. A sorting device as claimed in claim 9 which includes detection means in position to be actuated when the chute is filled with vessels and means responsive to the detector means for discontinuing operation of the sorting device.

13. A sorting device as claimed in claim 12 in which the detector means comprises a light beam and cell.

14. A sorting device as claimed in claim 1 which includes means for adjusting the inclination of the axis of rotation of the paddle wheel and drum.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 633,73Q Dated Januar LL 1972 Inventor) Ulrich Deutschbein It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

column 5, line 10, omit "and others facing away from the" column 5, line 10, before "inclined" insert "an" Signed and sealed this 15th day of August 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

ROBERT GOTTSCHALK EDWARD M. FLETCHER, JR, Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents USCOMM-DC 6O376P69 us. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE I969 o-aes-su FORM PO-1050 (10-69) 

1. A sorting device for cylindrical vessels having a length greater than their diameter comprising a container which accommodates a multiplicity of such vessels in disorder, a conveyor paddle wheel mounted for rotational movement about and others facing away from the inclined axis in said container and having internal axial parallel conveyor pockets with openings at the bottom dimensioned to be greater than the diameter of the vessel to enable the aligned vessel to pass therethrough, a magazine drum mounted for synchronous rotational movement with the conveyor paddle wheel and in axial alignment with the underside thereof and having magazines in axial alignment with the openings for receiving vessels passing therethrough, a retaining rod extending upwardly into each magazine into position to be engaged by the bottom wall of the vessel entering the magazine with some vessels facing the rods and others facing away from the rods, stationary cam means operatively engaged by said rods for displacement of the rods vertically relative the magazines, and means for removing the vessels facing the rods and the vessels facing away from the rods along separate paths.
 2. A sorting device as claimed in claim 1 which includes a stationAry bar positioned to underlie the openings in the conveyor paddle wheel to block a portion of said openings thereby sequentially to release the openings for passage of vessels therethrough from the pocket to the aligned magazine during rotational movement of the conveyor paddle wheel and drum.
 3. A sorting device as claimed in claim 2 in which the stationary bar is a sickle-shaped bar.
 4. A sorting device as claimed in claim 1 in which the conveyor paddle wheel and magazine drum are fixed for rotational movement together.
 5. A sorting device as claimed in claim 1 which includes guide means in operative engagement with the retaining rods for guiding said rods during vertical movement relative the magazine drum.
 6. A sorting device as claimed in claim 5 in which the stationary cam is formed with a central groove in the upper cam surface dimensioned to receive the guide means for the retaining rods in operative engagement.
 7. A sorting device as claimed in claim 1 which includes a stationary bay in position to be engaged by the bottom of the vessels having the apertures away from the retaining rods before the retaining rods are displaced towards lowered position.
 8. A sorting device as claimed in claim 7 in which the stationary bar is a sickle-shaped bar.
 9. A sorting device as claimed in claim 1 which includes separate chutes in communication with the removal means for receiving the vessels removed from the magazines during rotational movement thereof.
 10. A sorting device as claimed in claim 9 in which the chutes include means to prevent canting of the vessels during passage therethrough.
 11. A sorting device as claimed in claim 10 in which the chutes are twisted in relation to one another so that the vessel bottoms are aligned in the same direction at the end of the chutes.
 12. A sorting device as claimed in claim 9 which includes detection means in position to be actuated when the chute is filled with vessels and means responsive to the detector means for discontinuing operation of the sorting device.
 13. A sorting device as claimed in claim 12 in which the detector means comprises a light beam and cell.
 14. A sorting device as claimed in claim 1 which includes means for adjusting the inclination of the axis of rotation of the paddle wheel and drum. 